Owls

Owls.......everybody likes a nice owl. Whether it be the ghostly shape of a barn owl hunting, the fiersome glare of a roosting LEO or the sound of tawnys calling during spring evenings - whatever it is, owls are friggin cool. As mentioned in a previous post i've been getting out on the hunt for owls on an increasing basis this year and had managed to discover around 10 Little Owl sites. Well I say I discovered 10 sites, after corresponding with Paul Riddle it became clear that all but a couple were already well known by him and were part of his study area. Thanks to the hooded birder though he was able to locate his then new site (no.191 I believe) near to Tur Langton. Very nice. Since corresponding with Paul I was lucky enough to be invited out by him about a week ago to check out some of the owl sites in the general area and discuss the sites that i'd been visiting as with one of the sites I had been able to raise the number of juveniles recorded this year from 2 to 3 birds. Well, that was until he checked for himself and found 4 juveniles....had to go one better didnt he! Anyway it was a fantastic experience and a wonderful opportunity to sponge some knowledge off a guy who has an incredible understanding of Little Owl and their habitat in South Leicestershire. It did make me feel rather incompetent however as some of the sites he was kind enough to show me were sites that i'd driven past 100s of times without the faintest inkling of owls being present! Only two owls were seen (middle of the afternoon so wasn't an ideal time) but in all honesty I wouldn't have cared if we had seen none. Paul also demonstrated that his skills stretch further than just with Little Owls too when he spotted a Kingfisher within seconds of pulling up at Sapcote Quarry ( a site I never knew existed....ignorance is bliss.)

Anyway less of the waffling...... owl photos.....be prepared for their awesomeness.




straight in there with the best one (doesnt bode well for the others)

thought about cropping this one but spot the owl is much more entertaining



The indistinct blob in the headlights is a recently fledged Little Owl (honest guv). And no, I didnt motor it.